Vonage?s integration of a mobile application with an Android Wear smartwatch anticipates growth of the wearable technology market by letting users reject incoming calls and reply to text messages without having to take out their phone.

Users of the free Vontage Mobile App simply reject a call with a double tap gesture that automatically replies to the caller with a pre-set ?can't talk right now? message. The app from Holmdel, NJ-based Vonage, a provider of voice over Internet protocol services, reflects projections that smartwatches that seamlessly integrate different devices for different needs and situations are the way of the future.

?Vonage is constantly innovating to develop solutions that fit the needs of today?s consumers, and the Android Wear-compatible app is just another illustration of that,? said Grady Leno, vice president of product management, mobile services at Vonage. 

 

?The wearable technology market is rapidly emerging and will become increasingly popular with consumers, which is why we have innovated quickly to provide useful functionality of our app on Android Wear," he said. 

The app targets multi-tasking consumers who do not always have their smartphone readily available to respond to a call, or may not even be aware someone is trying to reach them.

Other Android Wear features available in the app from Vonage, whose service uses a customer?s Internet connection to make and receive free or low cost calls, include the ability to mirror the phone's notifications and integrate with its native contact list.

The Android Wear-compatible version of the app is available in the Google Play Store

?Right now, the biggest users of Vonage Mobile on Android Wear will be the early technology adopters,? Mr. Leno said. ?As wearable technology becomes more and more prevalent, we see the app being used by anyone who wants to take advantage of the features and benefits of Vonage Mobile, specifically the seamless ability to reject a call or answer a text message without ever having to touch a smartphone.?

 

The main activities consumers are interested in conducting via smartwatches include sports, navigation, phone calls and apps, according to an October report from GfK.

There is also potential to use smartwatches for transportation tickets or as a security key to a computer or online account.

One potential use for smartwatches would be to provide doctors and hospitals with the wearer?s personal healthcare data.

However, while smartwatches are expected to give mobile payments a much-needed boost, the report found that only 35 percent of respondents to a recent survey that was conducted in five countries were interested in smartwatch payments.

Seamless communication is expected to become increasingly important in the months and years ahead.

?With more and more consumers adding a smartwach to their technological ecosystem, different devices will be used for different needs and situations,? Mr. Leno said. ?Wearable technology and those who create apps for wearables will need to adapt to how consumers are using devices, updating and adding new functionalities to ensure a seamless communications experience.

 

?Our goal at Vonage has always been to develop products and services that enable consumers to easily communicate any time, anywhere and on any device they choose, and the Vonage Mobile App for Android Wear is just the latest evolution toward this goal.?